Publications

September 15, 2023

Defining Feminist Foreign Policy: The 2023 Edition

The 2023 edition of Defining Feminist Foreign Policy provides a global overview of developments in the feminist foreign policy field since the last edition was published in 2021. It reviews the policies and progress of 16 governments: in Europe, these span France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Slovenia and Sweden, in the Americas, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, Mongolia in Central Asia, Liberia in West Africa and Libya in the Middle East.

Disponible en français.

A publication of the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative with inputs from the Global Partner Network for Feminist Foreign Policy.

2023

Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States: An Agenda for Action

As of September 2023, more than a dozen countries around the world have adopted a feminist foreign policy, including both of the United States’ neighbors and many of its allies. These governments are working together at the United Nations to advance a multilateral agenda on gender equality and human rights, signaling the highest level of ambition for these issues. The absence of the United States in this cohort is increasingly conspicuous, and the remaining months of the Biden-Harris Administration present a clear opportunity to step up global efforts and leadership on this agenda.

A Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication.

2023

Toward a Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States: A Midterm Review of the Biden-Harris Administration

After two years, the Biden-Harris administration has made substantial progress toward articulating and implementing a more feminist approach to its foreign policy. Read the Coalition’s analysis of the administration’s progress and opportunities in this midterm review.

A Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2022

A Scorecard on the Biden-Harris Administration’s First Year

The Biden-Harris administration took office in the wake of a number of reversals of women’s rights, human rights and gender equality efforts by the U.S. government, promising to “build back better.” 2021-2022 has also been a time of global reflection on the status of women and girls around the world. In this context, The Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States has released a scorecard to track U.S. progress toward promoting gender equality at home and abroad.

A Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2021

Defining Feminist Foreign Policy: A 2021 Update

In this paper—updated in September 2021—we take a closer look at the world’s existing “feminist” approaches to foreign policy. Since the brief was originally produced in 2019, more nations have announced feminist foreign policies (bringing the total to seven: Sweden, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Mexico, Spain and Libya) and feminists advanced an evermore ambitious and intersectional approach.

Available in Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish.

A Global Partner Network for Feminist Foreign Policy publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2021

The Biden-Harris Administration’s First 100 Days: Toward a Feminist Foreign Policy?

The Biden-Harris administration took office in the wake of a number of reversals of women’s rights, human rights and gender equality efforts by the U.S. government, promising to “build back better.” 2021 is also a time of global reflection on the status of women and girls around the world.

A Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2020

Feminist Foreign Policy: A Framework

This framework attempts to distill a definition and few core components of feminist foreign policy, drawing from the few examples that exist today, as well as the insights of feminist thinkers, advocates and experts inside and outside of government.

Available in Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish.

A Global Partner Network for Feminist Foreign Policy publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2020

Toward a Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States

Attention to gender equality and, to a lesser extent, women’s human rights in American foreign policy has grown and evolved through recent administrations—both Republican and Democratic. This brief describes the definition of feminist foreign policy which guides the Coalition for a Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States, and shares concrete recommendations for how the U.S. can advance feminist foreign policy across the government.


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Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

202o

A Memo to the Next Administration

The COVID-19 global pandemic, recession and racial justice movements around the United States have reinforced the need to move away from a “business as usual” approach to policymaking. A feminist foreign policy offers a blueprint for the next U.S. Administration to assert leadership in tackling global inequality.

A Coalition for Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.

2019

Defining Feminist Foreign Policy

Published in 2019, this paper represents the first effort to distill a working definition of feminist foreign policy. Based on global consultations and analysis of existing feminist foreign policies, which at the time of its writing was limited to Sweden, Canada and France, this paper sketches out the emerging scope and standards attributed to an explicitly feminist approach to foreign policy. The aim of which was to assist governments in strengthening and sustaining existing feminist foreign policies and to shape the second wave of emerging policies. The definition presented serves as a starting point for debate.

A Global Partner Network for Feminist Foreign Policy publication. Originally published with the International Center for Research on Women.